Shortages: Where Do We Go From Here?

In the past few months we have been visited by some very startling shortages in unlikely things. Just a few years ago who would have suspected that ammo in this country would become so constricted that even law enforcement agencies would have trouble getting any. And just recently we have seen precious metals get squeezed. Even while spot prices were dropping, individuals and dealers alike found the supply drying up and prices remaining high.

Even though the spot prices were low the free market did what it does best, supply and demand forced prices to remain at real market levels. This is something the manipulators of the economy cannot change. The free market will always get its’ way in the end. The supply of commodities will always be priced by the free market and no amount of price controls or manipulation will change that for long. This is the lesson everyone needs to learn before the next set of shortages occur in the economy.

What should we expect next? Just keep in mind supply and demand. Those things that people want or need will continue to be in demand and those things that are luxuries will fall by the wayside. As things get tighter people will cut back until only the basics remain. When this point is reached any further shortages in society will turn into a national crisis.

Those that have destroyed our economy know they cannot continue the charade for much longer. The market manipulation is giving way to the free market and there is nothing anyone can do to stop it. The free market will take control at some point and begin the unpleasant task of rebalancing the years of mal-investment we have sowed. I use the term free market in the sense of being a force of nature that we cannot control.

When that happens, all of the wealth we have pulled from the future and squandered will be gone and we will enter a vacuum for some period of time. As we move into this vacuum the shortages will get worse and more numerous. I believe we have now entered the edge of that vacuum and we are seeing the shortages begin.